
March 24, 2023 – (Sarasota, FL) – LITHA, an original work of art, brought four local
artists together to share their dramatic and creative communicative nature on one canvas, culminating in the original titled piece. Each would bring her telling of the story through paint and brushstroke. Linda Driggs, the headdress, Nancy Hielscher, the lemon bikini, Harriett Hritz, the pool and perch and Heather Richau, her beautiful body shape and face.
Twilight lingers poolside as LITHA swirls her toes in
the warm colors of Summer Solstice.
As she watches, she wonders, “What’s next for this talented pool of Artists?”
What comes next? POP OF COLOR – 4 Points of View / Spring COLORS Emerge and 4 Distinct Interpretations of Color Evolve on Canvases.
In this show at LIGON FINE ART, a contemporary art gallery located in the heart of downtown Sarasota, a group of incredibly talented local artists – Linda Driggs, Nancy
Hielscher, Harriett Hritz and Heather Richau – display their unique and distinctive styles, immersed in color, form and light, themes focused on nature, both real and imagined.
From large format canvas to smaller scaled work, POP OF COLOR highlights the interplay between swaths of color, each emphasizing the painter’s mark.
When? April 7 – April 21, 2023 at LIGON FINE ART, 1570 Blvd. of the Arts., downtown Sarasota. Opening Night Reception, April 7th from 6 – 8pm.
Artists and exhibit information:
Don’t miss this opportunity to personally meet the artists, learn about their creative process and inspirations. Most importantly with the purchase of original art, you will be
supporting local talents. All four artists are members of Women Contemporary Artists, a regional organization of more than 100 creative women actively engaged in the visual
fine arts.
Linda Driggs
Linda’s exuberant nature-inspired paintings combine elements of abstraction and impressionism. While primarily focusing on dramatic elements found in flowers, her expressive energy is devoted to color, shape and form. Through her art and subject
matter, we are drawn to feel happiness and contentment. Using a bountiful color
palette, Linda connects her love of gardening and the outdoors and has cultivated a
dynamic poetic style that draws collectors to her work locally and internationally. Linda’s
preferred medium is acrylic paint, deriving intense color from masterfully mixing primary
colors of house paint, creating an endless array of color choice along with soft, oil based
pastel sticks.
Nancy Hielscher
A graduate of The American Academy of Art-Chicago, Nancy was inspired by weekly
visits to the Art Institute of Chicago and by one of the school’s most notable students,
Richard Schmid. Through classes and enthusiastic support from fellow students at
Ringling College, painting again became central to her creative being. During the past 17
years she has focused on perfecting her skill as a studio artist, where detailed still-life
paintings of fruits and vegetables, along with transitional leaf studies, occupy center
stage. Careful observation, detailed drawing and rich, strong colorful brushstrokes bring
these subjects to life where Nancy strives to convey the moods of nature. Working
mainly in oils on square panels or canvas, her hope is the result will invite the viewer to
re-evaluate the beauty often overlooked in everyday objects. Nancy is a member of the
Petticoat Painters, one of the oldest continuously exhibiting women’s art groups in the
U.S.
Harriett Hritz
Constantly fascinated by the play of color, pattern, and light found in nature, Harriett
draws inspiration by photographing landscapes and then uses those images to interpret
a color palette and composition of each piece. She then experiments by applying filters
and effects to each of her photo references. These alterations increase the contrast and
intensify the colors in images. Harriet’s intent is to draw and paint subject matter in a
gestural style, using bold color and energetic strokes to capture nature’s essence. By
adding whimsy through textured patterns of saturated color, she attempts to ignite an
emotional connection between the art and the observer. Her large canvas approach is both
impressionistic and expressive. Working with mixed media, she strives for the perfect
balance between applied paint, charcoal scribbles, and oil pastel marks. These large
format captures of nature are alive with vivid brushwork and washes of color. Her small
format work is mixed media on gessoed card stock paper. They might be a snapshot in
time, a special memory found in an old photo, or a still life of fresh tomatoes. With the
mix of colored pencils, marker and paint she tells a vivid and colorful story. Most recently
Harriett is uncovering new painting directions in abstract and surreal subject matter, and
creative approaches with collage work.
Heather Richau
Heather is an abstract acrylic artist, who enjoys experimenting with other mediums. She
is most inspired by people. The story in people’s faces are the focus of her intrigue, and
she is moved by how different we are in both subtlety and intensity. Heather enjoys using
vivid colors, collage paper, and wax pastels which allow her to create a Pop Art style in
each piece and often finds herself creating with child-like wonder and awe allowing for
raw, vulnerable, and carefree artistic pieces. Heather says, “Blindly diving into each new
piece brings a level of excitement to my soul!”
Ligon Fine Art
1570 Boulevard of the Arts
Sarasota, FL 34236
832-361-0308
www.ligonfineart.com
Gallery Hours:
Tuesday – Friday 11:00am – 4:00pm
Saturday 11:00am – 2:00pm
Appointments available after hours
Attachments:
Image of LITHA
Invitation to Opening Reception